What Happens If You Ignore a Clogged Drain?
From attracting pests to undermining the integrity of sewer lines and wastewater pipes, unchecked clogs are always progressive issues. There are nine dangers that a clogged drain could cause if you ignore it.
Ignoring a clogged drain can lead to:
- Water damage
- Mold and mildew
- Burst pipes
- Sewage backups
- Structural damage
- Health hazards
- Pest infestations
- Higher utility bills
- Expensive repairs
9 Serious Dangers of Ignoring a Clogged Drain
A clogged drain is far more than a minor inconvenience. The following are nine ways in which an unchecked clog can impact everyone and everything in your home.
1. Water Damage in Your Home
Standing water doesn’t always stand still. Standing water from an unchecked clog could back up into your sinks and tub, or spill out onto your floors. This can lead to warped flooring and sub-floors, stained fixtures, and contaminant exposure.
Prevention Tip: Schedule timely drain repairs and regular drain cleaning service to keep your drains moving swiftly.
2. Mold and Mildew Growth
As it evaporates, standing water adds moisture to the air. This extra moisture will make your indoor air feel muggy, heavy, and oppressive. It will also create the perfect conditions for widespread mold and mildew problems, and rank, musty odors.
Prevention Tip: Keep your drains dry and well-ventilated, and fix plumbing leaks right away.
3. Burst or Leaking Pipes
The pressure behind clogs can crack or burst pipes, causing them to spew waste and wastewater. Worse still, these stress-related damages might not occur in visible areas. You could develop a cracked or burst pipe behind your drywall or other building materials, where it festers unnoticed.
Prevention Tip: Avoid chemical drain cleaners. These products corrode and weaken pipes, and they’re rarely effective for clearing clogs.
4. Sewage Backups
Your wastewater pipes converge onto your sewer line. If your sewer line has a blockage, this blockage could force wastewater back into your toilets, tubs, and sinks.
These dangerous, whole-house backups can also send effluence rushing back into your plumbing-connected appliances. If you have recurring drain clogs or multiple clogged drains at once, contact a plumber right away.
Prevention Tip: To protect your sewer line and limit your risk of whole-house backups, keep “flushable” wipes and other hygiene products out of your plumbing system. You should only ever flush toilet paper and human waste.
5. Structural Damage Over Time
With rising moisture and overflowing fixtures, a clogged drain can lead to soft or bulging drywall, blistered and peeling paint, damaged insulation, and more. The longer that you neglect a clogged drain, the more structural damage your home will sustain.
Prevention Tip: Schedule annual drain inspections and drain cleaning services.
6. Health Hazards From Bacteria
Stagnant water and sewage spread germs and foul odors. Whether you have a single clogged drain or a whole-house backup, trapped and overflowing water can be rife with dangerous biological and chemical contaminants. These contaminants can cause bacterial and viral infections, decreased indoor air quality (IAQ), and many other health hazards.
Prevention Tip: In between professional drain cleaning service, regularly freshen your drains with natural solutions like baking soda and white vinegar.
7. Pest Infestations
Standing water attracts insects and rodents, especially when drain blockages cause cracked or burst pipes or result from blocked or ruptured sewer lines. The first step in successful pest treatment is eliminating accessible food and water sources.
Prevention Tip: Keep drains clean and eliminate built-up debris with annual drain cleaning. Prevent minor drain issues from escalating with annual drain inspections.
8. Higher Utility Bills
Repeated flushing and longer water runs waste gallons. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), household leaks throughout the United States waste a trillion gallons of water annually.
Prevention Tip: Restore flow efficiency by quickly clearing drain clogs.
9. Expensive Repairs
Unchecked clogs could escalate and create the need for full pipe replacement and flood remediation. Don’t let a simple, low-cost drain repair turn into problems that cost a veritable fortune to resolve.
Prevention Tip: Deal with minor clogs right away to save money over the long term and preserve your home’s value.
How to Prevent Drain Clogs Before They Become Serious
Avoid drain clogs with proper drain use. Never flush slow-degrading items like self-care wipes, cotton swabs, or feminine hygiene products.
Protect your drains with drain strainers or covers, and properly dispose of grease. After cooling them, you should always place grease, rendered fats, and cooking oils in covered, heat-resistant containers and dispose of them in the trash.
If you have excessively hard water in your home, consider installing a water softener to prevent heavy buildups of sediment in your sewer line and wastewater pipes. You can also protect your sewer line with smart landscaping solutions. Plant trees at least 10 feet away from your sewer line to prevent tree root encroachment.
Protect your sewer pipe from weed root encroachment by regularly weeding and maintaining your yard. Ask your plumber about root barriers, hydro-jetting, and other preventative measures.
When to Call a Professional Plumber
Foul-smelling drains, recurring clogs, and multi-drain issues are all signs that DIY drain cleaning isn’t enough. Professional plumbers can use hydro-jetting, exploratory drain cameras, and other tools and techniques to provide permanent solutions.
FAQs About Clogged Drains
When you have questions about clogged drains, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has answers. Check out our answers to these frequently asked questions about drain clogs.
What is the biggest danger of ignoring a clogged drain?
Whole-house backups handily rank among the biggest dangers of ignoring clogged drains. Unchecked clogs can lead to rampant rodent or insect infestations, physical illness, and significant losses in property value.
How fast can a small clog turn into a big problem?
Aggressive DIY drain-clearing techniques like plunging, snaking, and chemical drain cleaners can cause burst pipes, leaky pipe seals, and other structural issues within seconds. The pressure from drain blockages can cause a messy pipe rupture at any time. It’s always best to call a plumber when minor troubleshooting measures don’t work.
Do chemical drain cleaners make clogs worse?
Chemical drain cleaners undermine the integrity of wastewater pipes, sewer lines, and plumbing seals. Using these products too often can create the need for pipe replacement. Even if a chemical drain cleaner breaks a tough blockage down, the resulting waste could cause a new clog deeper within your plumbing system.
What’s the safest way to prevent recurring clogs?
The safest way to prevent recurring drain clogs is by scheduling professional drain maintenance. For best results, schedule professional drain cleaning every 12 months and sewer line inspection and cleaning service every 18 to 22 months.
Key Takeaways
From water damage and mold to higher utility bills and costly repairs, ignoring clogged drains leads to nine distinct dangers. Prevention is easy. Act early, cover your drains with strainers, and never send “flushable” wipes or other slow-degrading items into your plumbing system.
You should also schedule regular drain and sewer line maintenance with a trusted, local plumber. When you have a clogged drain, fast action will save you cash and protect your home.
Protect Your Home and Family With Professional Drain Unclogging Service
Don’t wait for a clogged drain to cause illness, mold problems, or significant property damage. If your drains are slowing down, call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today for expert drain unclogging services and lasting peace of mind.
We’re punctual plumbers and we proudly serve Fort Myers, FL and nearby communities. Get in touch with Benjamin Frankling Plumbing now to keep your waste and wastewater moving in the right direction!